Actuating mechanism for plumbing fixture



May 8, 1962 J. P. MAGOS ET AL ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR PLUMBING FIXTURE 2Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1959 y 8, 1962 J. P. MAGOS ET AL 3,032,778

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR PLUMBING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 6, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 JZxP @W 1 United States This invention relates to acombined water closet or bowl and mechanism therefor. More specifically,it is concerned with the type of closet construction in which preferablythe water supply tank therefor is located behind the wall of thebathroom and is actuated by means of a handle and lever arrangementmounted either upon the closet bowl proper or adjacent thereto. In mostcases, the water closet is the kind termed by the trade as the wall.-hung type and therefore makes it desirable to provide for the flushingtank being behind the wall and positioned at such predetermined heightto provide the desired flushing'of the closed bowl or urinal.

To accomplish the benefits of this type of operating mechanism, a morepositive and direct operating mechanism than heretofore used isemployed.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide acloset flushing construction in which a substantial part of theactuating mechanism is capable of being located behind the wall betweenstudding and is of a sturdy and durable character. It is one in whichits installation is comparatively easy to make and is virtuallytrouble-free thereafter because of the positive. linkage employedrelative to the tank. H

Another object is to provide for a closet bowl flushing mechanism inwhich theflush actuating mechanism employed returns to its normalposition without requiring special resetting. v

A further object is to provide for an actuating mechanism in which themounting thereof relative to the flushing tank is resilient, is freefrom objectionable noise and vibration and is easily maintained in adesirable operating condition throughout substantially its life.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent uponproceeding with the specification read in light of the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a reduced fragmentary sectional view of a wall mountingshowing one preferred application of our invention;

FIG. 2 is a magnified view of the lever mechanism employed;

FIG. 3 is a front reduced view of a wall-mounted bowl assembly embodyingour invention; and

FIG. 4 is a magnified fragmentary sectional view of a portion of theactuating mechanism in relation to the closet bowl.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a wall-mounted water closet or bowl generallydesignated 1 is shown mounted upon the wall W of a bathroom or the likeby the usual means, such as bolts (not shown), applied to the holes 2and 3. The closet tank, generally designated 4, is preferably elongatedand of substantial depth to provide suflicient capacity for properflushing of the bowl and is suitably mounted between the usual studs orup-rights (not shown) supporting the wall from the rear. The closet tankhas the usual discharge outlet including a flapper valve 5 for effectingpredetermined water discharge therefrom, having a construction forexample of the type shown in Crane Co. flapper flush valve Patent No.2,756,437, granted July 31, 1956. As indicated, the flapper valve 5 isactuated by a chain or suitable linkage 6 attached thereto. The chain isattached at its upper limit to a transverse arm 7 atet 3,032,778Patented May 8, 1962 forming an angular portion of the substantiallyvertically extending actuating link rod generally designated 8. Thelatter rod at its lower end portion may be suitably offset as indicatedat 9 to permit adjustability in lever mounting relative to the studdingand also allowance for desired leverage with respect to the pivotallymounted lever 11. The rod 8 is fixedly attached to the said pivotallymounted lever 11 by means of the clamp 12 and the set screw 13threadably bearing against the rod 8 to connect the offset portion 9 ofthe rod 8 with the horizontally disposed lever 11. The latter lever, asmore clearly shown in the plan section of FIG. 4, is journalled on anangular portion 14 thereof within the bowl housing 10 and is receivedwithin the threaded shouldered bushing 15 bearing against the interposedwasher 16 mounted over the bowl aperture 17. A threaded retaining nut 18within thebowl housing 10 holds the bushing 15 firmly in position withinthe bowl aperture 17. At its outer end, the angular lever portion 14 ofthe rod lever 11 is provided with a knurled end portion 19 over whichthe actuatmg handle 21 is frictionally held in place. The said handlehas the elongated lever portion 22 for such actuation. Mounting theflushing handle 21 on the side of the bowl eliminates the need for aspecial wall opening.

It will be clear that upon depressing the lever portion 22 of the handle21, the pivotally movable lever 11 will be actuated and the rod 8 willthereupon be moved axially upwardly and thus causing the chain 6 to bemoved similarly, thereby lifting or peeling ofi the flexible flappervalve 5 from its tank seat 23. This activation or me flapper valvepermits the water contained within the tank 4 (supplied thereto by inletmeans not shown) to discharge into the downwardly extending pipe 24,thence into the elbow portion 25, and into the inlet bowl passage 26more clearly shown in FIG. 4 for the bowl flushing function. v

In providing for the quiet return of the lever to its original positionwithout objectionable noise and vibration impact, a spring 27 isemployed, being clamped between the fixed washer or shoulder 28 at itsupper limit and being supported at its lower end portion upon the tankangularly formed apertured bracket 29 to receive the upper portion ofthe rod 8. The said spring also maintains the pivotally movable lever 11in the normally horizontally disposed position illustrated. The bracketmember 29 is attached to the upper wall portion of the tank 4 by meansof a bolt and nut assembly 31.

Under most conditions of installation, it is desirable to provide thewall W with a suitably large apertured portion 32 within which the lever11 is moved pivotally from its bearing portion 14 in the threadedbushing 15 under the actuation of the handle 21 as previously described.

While a wall-mounted bowl installation is illustrated and described, itwill of course be appreciated that a floor-mounted closet bowl may beused if desired, without adversely affecting the advantages flowing fromthe use of the operating mechanism and its comparatively widespreadadaptation. It will thus be apparent that the actuating mechanism andthe novel manner of its installation is capable of being employed with awide variety and number of flushing devices wherein the operation of aflushing tank concealed behind a wall may be conveniently accomplished.

Therefore, it is the desire to be limited insofar as the broadness ofthe invention is concerned to the claims as hereinafter appendedinterpreted in light of the art.

We claim:

1. A concealed plumbing fixture actuating mechanism suitable forassembly behind an apertured wall and between the wall studding, thecombination of a plumbing fixture outside the wall having at the rearportion thereof an opening for receiving a source of water supply anddischarge means therefor, the said fixture having a housing providing asecond opening at the rear portion thereof disposed at side relation tothe first named opening, the said source of supply including opencontainer means mounted in the wall behind and above the said fixture,conduit means in the Wall connecting the container means with the saidfixture, axially movable link rod means behind the wall with a shoulderportion thereof resiliently mounted on an outer projecting transverselyextending portion of the said container means and cooperating with thesaid second opening of the said fixture to provide a connection b'etwensaid link rod means and the second opening of the fixture adjacent anouter wall surface thereof, resilient means interposed between saidshoulder portion of the said link rod means and said transverselyextending portion of said container means, valve means for saidcontainer mean's having afie'xible connection with an overlying angularportion of the said link rod means extending over the said containermeans to permit predetermined axial movement of the link rod meansrelative to the container means,'the said valve means closing the saidconduit means predeterrninately pivotally movable lever means adjustablyconnected with the said link rod 'means to permit predeterminedpositioning of the latter means axially in relation to the lever means,the said link rod means at said shoulder portion bearing against an endportion of said resilient means and having a portion extending throughthe transversely extending portion of said container means, the saidlever means being mounted pivotally on a side portion of the saidfixture in a plane transversely to the said link rod means topredeterminately eifect said axial movement of said link rod means toopen the said valve means, and actuating means on an outer upper surfaceof the said fixture to effect predetermined pivotal movement of thelever means and move the link rod means axially upwardly.

'2. A concealed plumbing fixture actuating mechanism suitablefor'assembly behind a wall between the wall studding, the combination ofa plumbing fixture outside the -10 wall having an enlarged portion atthe rear thereof with an opening therein for receiving a source of watersupply and discharge means therefor, the said source of Supply includingcontainer means mounted in the wall behind and above the said fixture toprovide a space therebe tween, conduit means in the wall spaceconnecting the said container means with the said fixture, a bracket onan upper portion of the container means, a spring on the bracket, linkrod means behind the wall having a portion thereof received within thebracket and connecting the said container means with a portion of thesaid fixture adjacent an outer Wall surface thereof, the said springengaging an upper shoulder portion of the link rod means to normallysupport said link rod means, valve means within said container meanshaving a connection with an angular extension of the said link rod meansto permit predetermined axial movement of the link rod means relative'to the container means, the said spring resiliently limiting the saidmovement of the link rod means axially in a direction toward the saidfixture, the said valve means closing vthe said conduit meanspredeterminately and pivotally movable lever means cooperating with thesaid link r'od means to effect open movement of the said valve means,and actuating means connected with an outer end portion of the levermeans to pivotally move said lever means upon predetermined movement ofsaid actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS391,714 Israel .Oct. 23, 1888 481,498 Kremelberg Aug. 23, 1892 505,601Hankenhof Sept. 26, 1893 591,016 Scott Oct. 5, 1897 1,213,886 Kozik Jan.3, 1917 1,585,557 Miller May 18, 1926 2,043,821 Williams June 9, 19362,449,948 Milne Sept. 21, 1948 2,744,261 Gram May 8, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS 471,734 Italy May 23, 1952

